Published on Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:41 | Written by Christie Pool

Jacobs honored by city – Pickens High Basketball Coach Kevin Jacobs was honored at Monday night’s city council meeting for achieving his 300th career-win. Jacobs was recognized for taking his PHS team to the state tournaments for the past two years. He began coaching 19 years ago at West Rome High School and has lead teams to state tournaments 10 times. While at Jefferson High School his team won the state class A championship. During his coaching career Jacobs has been named Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Tip Off Club. Jacobs holds 71 of his 300 wins with PHS.

In a 4-1 vote with Councilman John Foust casting the sole dissenting vote, Jasper’s city council gave the go-ahead to allow residents to vote in the July referendum on whether they will allow Sunday alcohol package sales.

After being approached by private citizens regarding the matter, Mayor John Weaver last month put the question to the council. The referendum will be placed on the July 31st ballot and could allow package sales on Sundays by retailers for malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits.

Councilman Jim Looney said he was pleased, due to the cost of having elections, the referendum will be in time to get on the July ballot.

In other news:

• The Pickens Sportsmens’ Club announced plans for the 2012 Kids Fishing Days, May 10-12. Fishing Days has become a fun day for kids as well as senior citizens and the mentally handicapped. On Thursday and Friday, May 10th and 11th, senior citizens and those with handicaps can fish the freshly-stocked creek and kids age 15 and under accompanied by an adult can fish on Saturday, May 12.

“We’ll put around 5,000 to 5,500 trout in (Cove) creek for the fishing rodeo,” said Jerry Steele with the club. “On Thursday and Friday we have people with disabilities and Friday we host seniors with disabilities. Last year we had 11 (nursing) homes that participated and this year we’re hoping for even more. We had 75 wheelchairs lined up on Cove Creek bank fishing.”

Steele said last year during the kid’s fishing day there were between 800 and 900 people there, kids fishing and their adult supervisors.

“Kids can catch and keep eight fish per kid but most people catch and release,” Steele said. “This year Angels on Horseback will have horses out there if you want to ride or have your photograph taken with them.”

Mayor Weaver said fishing days is a positive community use of the city’s Cove (Longswamp) Creek property.

“This has been a win for the sportsmens’ club and the city of Jasper and of course the children and all those involved,” he said.

• The council unanimously approved the purchase of a new police vehicle for the Jasper Police Department. Police Chief Greg Lovell told council members he is pursuing the purchase of a Dodge Charger. Lovell said Ford no longer makes the traditional Crown Victoria police cruiser currently in use with the police department’s fleet and he planned to purchase a Chevy Tahoe in its place. Lovell said, however, that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had bought up every “souped up Tahoe” that was white in color.

To keep it local, Lovell said he is working with Mike Lowe of Jasper Jeep.

• The council also approved the purchase of a roll over truck for the wastewater treatment plant. The truck will be used to haul waste from the plant to the landfill and will replace contract work being done by an outside company.

“We’re paying a company now $300 per load to take it from the plant to Eagle Point Landfill,” Weaver said.

Finance Director Tacie Williams said the city paid the company over $8,200 in 2011 for the services and that number is steadily rising.

“As of March 31st we have already paid them over $7,000 so it just made sense to the mayor to purchase our own vehicle,” she said.

The cost of the vehicle is $28,000.

• Pickens Economic Development Director Gerry Nechvatal said there is a Georgia based company likely locating to Jasper who is expected to hire 20 people at “much higher than average rates”.

“This is a fantastic company. They will be an excellent addition to the community,” he said.

Mayor Weaver agreed, saying this was a very good opportunity for the city.

“I’ve been giving a lot of people hope that have been applying for jobs inside city hall,” Weaver said. “I assured one guy today that I would recommend him and other applicants I have who are needing jobs.”